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Vincec is Stars of Karting National Champion

Pair of podiums at series finale seals the deal 

Mike Vincec's 2008 season started with one goal in mind - to win the Snap On Stars of Karting East Division Championship. After coming close the previous season, the Cameron Motorsports driver knew he had a shot this year. The seventeen-year-old Canadian made good on that goal a few months ago and then went on to add the West Division title as well. In the meantime, Vincec would also compete in the FIA European Karting Championship with the CRG factory team but with the season drawing to a close, there was one last crown available - the Snap On Stars of Karting ICC National title. 

This past weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Vincec arrived with his Cameron Motorsport tuner Trevor Wickens with a good shot at that championship. It had been a close battle all season with fellow Canadian Jordy Vorrath and two-time champion Gary Carlton, but Mike was in a good position needing only to finish on the podium for both final races to clinch the title. He started off the weekend in fine form taking the point in qualifying to put him on pole for all of the heat races. Mike would finish the three heats in second, third and fourth placing him third on the starting grid for the finals. 

On Sunday, it was determined that Mike would have to finish no worse than third in both races - or a similar points combination depending on how he finished in race one. He would take third in the first race and go on to take third in race two - enough to be the first Canadian to secure the national title.  

A component of the national championship is an award to encourage senior drivers to continue their climb up the motorsports ladder. The Snap On Stars of Karting Championship presented by Indy Racing League has chosen Mike to be the recipient of a full season in the Skip Barber National Series which could be the first step toward a successful career in open-wheel racing. Mike raced in the Skip Barber Southeast Region Championship last winter after being awarded a scholarship from the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship based in Ontario. He finished second overall in that series and was selected as the top rookie. 

Mike would like to thank Bob Cameron and Danielle Duffy for their unwavering support, everyone at Cameron Motorsports for a terrific season, Mr. Tinini, Mattia and everybody on the factory CRG team, and especially Trevor Wickens for the great job he has done all season setting up the CRG/Maxter because without him this would not have been possible.. He also thanks all of his sponsors and supporters and is looking forward to continuing his winning efforts on their behalf in 2009.

Vincec captures Stars West Division championship

FIA European Championship final up next

In his quest for a national championship, seventeen-year-old Mike Vincec fought through some tough battles at the recent Stars of Karting West Division finals in Kent, Washington. After taking the East Division title in July, Mike would come to the temporary circuit in Kent and record two top-five results. These results created a tie in the points standings but Mike would be awarded the championship based on his win at the East / West races at Shawano. 

Driving a CRG/Maxter ICC for Hamilton, Ontario-based Cameron Motorsports Vincec was in for a battle in the west as the points chase was closer. Competition was fierce through the heat races and Vincec ended more than one in the barriers. He would make it up in the finals however and fight to a fourth-place finish in race one but lose points to his main rival in the championship. The last race started in the rain and Mike put in a good run to second place where he finished. This resulted in a tie for points but based on his win at the race in July, the Stouffville, Ontario native would take the division championship.

The East-West finals for Stars of Karting and the shot at the National Championship take place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, October 12. In the meantime though, Vincec is headed to France for the final round of the FIA European Championship where he races as a member of the CRG factory team. The final event takes place at the Varennes s/Allier circuit this weekend (September 7). In the last round at Mariembourg, Belgium, Mike had a great run and after qualifying 44th out of over one-hundred entries, progressed through the heats and would earn a top-ten finish in the final race. 

Mike is currently shown in 13th place in the championship and can move into the top ten with  good results this weekend.

Photo M. Vincec

Double podium weekend in Stars of Karting event

Vincec captures East Division championship

There was a specific goal this season for seventeen-year-old Mike Vincec and this past weekend at USA International Raceway in Shawano, Wisconsin, he completed the first step by taking the East Division championship in the Snap-on Stars of Karting series presented by Indy Racing League.  

Mike, who drives for Hamilton, Ontario-based Cameron Motorsports was quick from first practice in his CRG/Maxter ICC. Saturday morning he would qualify third for the series of heat races that would follow throughout the day. Positions in the heat races would then determine the starting grid for the two divisional points races on Sunday. Mike would come away from the three heat races with a third and two second-place results putting him on the front row alongside last year's champion. Mike's 71-point lead going into the weekend gave him a bit of breathing room but anything can happen so the focus was to reach the podium. 

In the first race, Mike had a clean start and although the leader pulled out a bit of a gap, Mike kept a clear gap back to second, conserving tires for the final, to bring home the first podium on the day. In race two he made a charge early and battled with the leader. After losing some ground mid-race, he brought the gap down to a kart length and settle in to take his second podium of the day. The combination of the two second-place results was enough to clinch the East Division championship. 

"I feel pretty good now,” commented a very happy Vincec. "We came pretty close last year which made us want to come back and get the deal done. Trevor Wickens, Mattia from CRG and the Cameron Motorsports crew have done a fantastic job all season. The CRG chassis and SwedeTech Maxter engines have been awesome and I have also learned quite a bit in the two races we did in the European Championships this year." He continued, "Now we’ll focus on trying to wrap up the West Division title in Seattle on August 22-24 and bring it all to the series finals in October." 

In addition to the Stars of Karting series in North America, Mike has been competing in the CIK-FIA European Karting Championship with the CRG factory team. In the last round at Mariembourg, Belgium, Mike had a great run and after qualifying 44th out of over one-hundred entries, progressed through the heats and would earn a top-ten finish in the final race. He is just outside the top ten in the overall standings. 

Mike has several events coming up in the next few weeks. First up will be the ORKC regional event at Mosport International Karting on July 25-27 where he contends in the Rotax Max category. After that event Mike will be at the ASN Canada National Championships, August 8-10 at Karting Grand Mere, Grand Mere, Quebec. Final races for the Stars of Karting Western Championship will take place in Seattle, WA on August 22-24 and Mike will then return to Europe for the final round of the CIK-FIA European Karting Championship, September 7 in France. 

Vincec in charge

Leads both divisions in Stars of Karting ICC Championships 

After scoring a double-podium weekend at Newcastle Motorsports Park a few weeks ago, Mike Vincec has had a bit of time away from the race track but now has back-to-back events with the Ontario Regional Karting Championship this weekend (June 21-22) before heading to Belgium for round two of the CIK-FIA European Karting Championship. Between the racing he has managed to fit in some time at school for exams as well. 

The seventeen-year-old would have a good weekend in the ICC category on board his Cameron Motorsports CRG in the Stars of Karting Race of The Americas event at Newcastle. He would convert strong runs in the heat races to great results in the finals taking the win on Saturday. He would score another podium in race two, bringing his kart across the line P3. On the strength of these results, Mike has moved to first overall in the east division championship points race with a 71-point lead. As the Newcastle event was also an East/West race for the Stars of Karting Championship, the race results have also put him in the points lead for the western division.

Racing this past weekend in the ORKC, Mike contested in Rotax Max as a qualifier for the Canadian Nationals that take place in August. Mike had a commanding win in wet conditions at the Innisfil track and now has two wins in the series.  

The weekend was also a bit of a tune-up for the next round in the CIK-FIA European Championship. Mike left for Belgium on Tuesday (24th) to meet up with the rest of the CRG factory team as they prepare for races at Mariembourg this weekend. 

Mike had a fantastic run in the first round and would make it into the final round qualifying 33rd for the 34 kart starting grid. Over one hundred karts showed up to qualify for the race. Mike would fight his way into the P12 position from 28th on the grid gaining lots of attention along the way. Another good result will certainly help his chances in the European Karting Championship.